The ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ actor used the units atop Los Angeles’s Eastern Columbia Building as an unusual home base

Wealthy buyers often combine units to create a large home. Actor Johnny Depp took another tack when he bought five adjacent penthouses in downtown Los Angeles: He kept them largely separate, living in them “like rooms in a home,” according to real-estate agent Kevin Dees of Partners Trust. Now Mr. Depp is putting his unusual spread on the market for $12.78 million.

Mr. Depp’s five condo units—four two-bedrooms and one one-bedroom—are perched atop the Eastern Columbia Building, a circa 1930 art deco structure known for its four-sided clock tower, said Mr. Dees, who is listing the property with colleague Nick Segal.

According to public records, Mr. Depp bought the condos from the developer for about $7.2 million in a series of transactions between 2007 and 2008. He then left the layout of each apartment as it was. He added doorways connecting three of the units, which he used as his living and entertaining space, while the other two served as an art studio and a guest suite.

Mr. Dees said the units, which total about 11,500 square feet, can be purchased together or separately, but declined to specify the prices of the individual apartments. He added that the units can be easily unconnected if a buyer prefers.

The home has several private terraces, and the walls are painted in vibrant blues and greens that mirror the building’s colorful exterior. One wall is covered with a mural by Brazilian street artists
Osgemeos. Mr. Depp chose to keep the units separate because he didn’t want to disrupt the “integrity” of the spaces, said Mr. Dees.

The move comes a few months after Mr. Depp relisted his compound in the South of France for around $56 million—more than double its previous asking price. Last month, the actor reached a divorce agreement with actress Amber Heard, who announced that she would donate her $7 million settlement to charity.

Mr. Dees declined to comment on whether the divorce is a reason Mr. Depp is selling the home. He said Mr. Depp has other homes in Los Angeles and felt that “it was the right time to divest of that asset.” Los Angeles has seen several high-profile real estate sales in recent months.